Brake mechanism for cars



(No Model.)

A. J. WRIGHT. BRAKE MECHANISM FOR CARS.

No. 456,609. Patented July 28, 1891.

Willi E8828 6 MW,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN J. \VRIGHT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,609, dated July 28, 1891.

Application filed November 3, 1890. Serial No. 370,258. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN J. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the count-y of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in brake mechanism for street-railway and other cars. It is in the nature of an improvement upon the inventions patented tome by Letters Patent Nos. 430,455 and 430,500, dated June 17, 1890; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims, and especially in the application of the friction engagement by which the brakes are set to the car-wheel instead of to a separate friction-wheel, whereby a simplified construction and increased efliciency are obtained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in elevation the running-gear of a car embracing my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the method of connecting two cars, as hereinafter described. Figs. 42 and 5 are detail views of the brake-lever. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the vertical lever viewed lengthwise of the car. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the horizontal lever.

AA represent the car-wheels act, their axles; B B, the brake-shoes b b, the blakebeams; c c, the brake-rods, and d the brake-lever or con necting-lever by which both brakes are simultaneously set, all of which parts are of the usual construction.

E is a friction-band composed of short plates or blocks adapted to fit the tread of the carwheel, and, if preferred, the flange also, and are flexibly connected together, as by securing them to a flexible sheet or strap of metal, or to jointed bars or links, in such manner that When a strain is brought upon the band, as hereinafter described, it shall closely hug the wheel and conform to its surface, so as to exercise the greater friction thereon. I do not, however, confine myself to the use of such band, as in some cases a single shoe is sufficient to answer the purpose, accomplishing the same result with less mechanism, and hence less expense.

connected by a cord, chain, rod, or combination of rod and chain or rod and 'cord 2 to a drum. g, secured to a shaft it in front of and conveniently near the car-wheel. The shaft h is by means of an arm '1'. secured thereto, connected to the short arm Z of the hand-lever L, placed at the end of the car for operating the brakes. This connection may be a cord or chain, but is preferably a rod 7:, for reasons hereinafter stated. The rear end of the friction-band E is connected by a rod, cord, or chain on to the upper or outer end of lever d, and a spring 0 is attachedto the lever d and to the car body or truck in such manner tion with the gravity of the brake beams and shoes, throw off the brakes. In order to mantain the friction-band E out of coin off, 'a frame f, which may be a plate or a rod bent to proper shape, is adjusted in close proximity to the car-wheel and of a shape on its upper side to conform to the contour of the under side of the friction-band E, which somewhat overhangs the wheel. The frame f is supported pivotally on rigid connections, one of which 19 leads forward and is connected to the short arm Z of the hand-lever, (or man arm on the shaft 71,) and the other 19 leads back and is pivoted upon the trucks. Preferably the connections 19 p are rods or bars and are pivoted to the frame f at opposite ends thereof and on a level slightly above that of the pivots of their other ends, as is shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the device is as follows: Normally the brakes are held by the spring 0 in the released position, which is shown by the full lines in Fig. 1. \Vhen it is desired to set the brakes, the lever L is drawn back, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This draws forward the arm 1, and by winding up the chain c on the drum 9 draws forward the friction-band E, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and at the same time the rod 19 At its forward end the friction-band E is i as to draw back the lever when the pull of i i the band E is released, and thus, in conjunctact with the car-wheel when the brakes are i the periphery of the wheel and to bear against draws forward and downward the frame f,

. which allows the band E to rest upon the wheel and by its frictional contact therewith to travel a short distance therewith. The forward motion of the friction-band drawing by the rod orchain in on the lever cl sets the brakes. The pull upon the hand-lever L being so powerfully assisted by the friction of the band E, which, itself acts as abrake-shoe, combines to set the brakes with far greater power than is obtainable with any mechanism except a positive-acting clutch on either axle or wheel; but, the movement of the brake-shoes as ordinarily constructed being very short, they are by the forward motion of the band E brought into contact with and light bearing on the wheels before the frame f has so far moved as to allow the band E its full bearing on the wheel. Consequently the transition from the direct pull from the hand-lever on the brakes to that of the combined hand-pull and the friction-clutch upon the wheel is gradual and without the shock usually experienced in the application of friction-clutch brakes. As the lever L is thrown forward to release the brakes, the weight of the beams 19 and shoes B, assisted by the spring 0, draws back the band E as the brake-shoes fall back from the wheels, and simultaneously the rod 19 lifts the frame f against the friction-band and lifts the latter out of contact with the wheel. To assist in moving back the friction-band, I prefer to form the connection of rod instead of chain, in order that. it may push back the arm 1', and thus positively rotate the drum g and slack off the chain. While the gravity of the brake beams and shoes is usually sufficient alone to effect the throwing off of the brakes, as just described, I add the spring 0, not of necessity, but for greater efliciency.

The mechanism so far described is adapted to a car running always with the same end forward, which in Fig. 1 would be the lefthand end. It is obvious, however, that to adapt the same to a car required to run with either end forward requires only ithe duplication of the hand-lever, rock-shaft, frictionband, and their various fittings and connections at each end of the car. This arrangement is shown in the plan view,Fig. 2, and is a part of my invention.

Various modifications of construction will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic. For instance, the friction-band may be made in one or two pieces, the drum 9 may be placed on the pivot of the lever L instead of on'a separate shaft, or in place of the druma half-drum or segment may be used, &c. The lever 61 may be placed in either a vertical or horizontal position, as the construction of the truck or the presence of other mechanism may render most convenient. Its horizontal arrangement is shown in Fig. 5.

In the case of cable-grip cars or motor-cars drawing trailcars it is often desirable to brake all the cars in the train from the motor or grip car, thus enablingthe gripman 01 motor-man to do the work which otherwise would require a brakeman on each of the trail-cars, and to do it more quickly. This is most effectually accomplished by my invention by means of the great power exercised by the clutch of the friction-band applied by the following simple means: Each of the cars being provided with the previously-described brakeactuating mechanism and brakes, a chain V is attached to the upper or outer end of the brake-lever d, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5, and is carried thence around the sheaves s 8 back to the center line of the car, thence through a tubular draw-bar or connecting bar T (by which the cars may be coupled) to an arm 2' on shaft 77. in the center line of the cars, as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the cars being thus equipped and coupled, it is readily seen that when the brakes are applied on the first car the lever (1 will draw on the chain V and actuate the brakes on the following car by the action of the shaft h, drum g, and band E on that car, with their connections, and the brakes on the second car will be set with the combined power of the friction-bands E and their connections on both the first and second cars. Similiarly thebrake-lever on the second car will operate to set the brakes on the third car and so on successively, each car having its brakes set with the combined power of its own friction-band and the pull on its brake-actuating mechanism which is transmitted from the car in front of it, as hereinabove described.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In car-brake mechanism, the combination, with the car-wheel, of a friction-band adapted to engage the wheel and operatively connected with the brakes, mechanism for causing said band to engage the car-wheel, and mechanism for disengaging said band from the wheel and supporting it out of contact therewith, substantially as described.

2. In car-brake mechanism, the combination, with the car-wheel, of a friction-band adapted to engage the car-wheel and operatively connected with the brakes, mechanism supporting said band normally out of contact with the wheel, and means for causing said band to engage the car-wheel and operate the brakes, substantially as described.

3. In car-brake mechanism, the combination of the friction-band adapted to engage the car-wheel and operatively connected with the brakes, the supporting-frame adapted to maintain said band normally out of contact with the wheel and adj ustably connected with the brake-operating mechanism, the rockshaft and drum connected with said frictionband, and the hand-lever operatively connected with said rock-shaft to cause said band to engage the car-wheel and operate the brakes, substantially as described.

4. In car-brake mechanism, the combination of a friction-band adapted to engage the IIO car-wheel and operatively connected with the brakes, a movable frame pivotally supported and adapted to bear against said band and maintain the same out of contact with the wheel, a rock-shaft connected with said band and with said frame, and an operating handlever connected with said rock-shaft to actuate said mechanism and set the brakes, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the friction-band adapted to engage the car-wheel and having its rearward end connected operatively with the brakes and its forward end connected with the drum or equivalent for bringing it into engagement with the wheel, the oscillating frame for supporting said band out of contact with the wheel, the rock-shaft carrying the drum and having an arm rigidly connected with said frame for actuating the same, and the hand-lever rigidly connect-ed tomatically set the brakes of the following car, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN J. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

II. W. \VARD, L. PRENTISS. 

